On The Web

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Companies

SoftBank Plans Payments Service For Japan By Year-End

July 24 2018

• in
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Japan
• Mobile Payments
• Patym

“SoftBank Group Corp. plans to announce within days that it will start a mobile digital payments service in Japan by the end of 2018 as billionaire founder Masayoshi Son seeks to expand in the sector, people familiar with the matter said. The service, a collaboration with Indian startup Paytm, will make extensive use of artificial […]

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Global

Japan to promote e-payment with subsidies and tax breaks

August 21 2018

• in
• Japan
• QR codes

“Japan lags behind such countries as South Korea, China and the U.S. in embracing cashless payment, frustrating many visitors from abroad. It seeks to make cashless options widely available ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The government intends to draw up a plan by year-end to standardize payment methods using QR codes. Businesses that provide settlement infrastructure in line with […]

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Global

Mizuho to launch digital currency to promote cashless payments in March

January 3 2019

• in
• Cryptocurrencies
• Japan

“Japan’s Mizuho Financial Group plans to introduce a proprietary digital currency that can be used for shopping and remitted at no cost, starting next March. Under the plan, retail shops using the currency will be charged fees significantly lower than for credit card services. The banking group aims to promote cashless payments by bringing about 60 regional […]

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Global

Japanese bank pilots blockchain mobile payments in bars and restaurants

September 26 2018

• in
• Blockchain
• Japan

“In this demonstration experiment, for SBI Group employees, we will construct a mechanism that allows cashless settlement at eating and drinking establishments in Izumi Garden Tower, Roppongi 1-chome where SBIH is based.”

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Global

Paytm launches PayPay in Japan, in joint venture with SoftBank, Yahoo Japan

October 22 2018

• in
• India
• Japan
• Mobile wallets

“Paytm, run by One 97 Communications Ltd, has launched a barcode-based smartphone payment service called PayPay in Japan, in a joint venture with SoftBank Corporation and Yahoo Japan Corporation, the company said in a statement on Monday.”

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Companies

EBay Paid $573M To Buy Japanese e-Commerce Platform Qoo10, Filing Reveals

July 20 2018

• in
• eBay
• Japan

“The deal underscores how eBay is at the same time pulling back from general plays while doubling down on more targeted opportunities. Earlier this year, the company gave up its stake in Flipkart  as part of its acquisition by Walmart, but at the same time committed to investing in a new, standalone eBay operation in India, using some […]

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Companies

Amazon And SoftBank Vie To Take Japan Cashless

July 30 2018

• in
• Amazon
• Japan
• Mobile Payments
• QR codes

“The platforms offered by the U.S. online retail giant and the Japanese tech and investment powerhouse will require minimal investment by merchants. That approach is friendly to smaller businesses — a group that is estimated to account for about 90% of Japan’s shops — for whom obtaining specialized equipment is a heavy burden. Through local arm Amazon Japan, […]

On The Wires

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Companies

Alipay Seeks Japanese Partners to Strengthen Cashless Experience across the Country for Tourists before 2020

September 5 2018

• in
• Alipay
• China
• Japan

“Alipay, the world’s leading mobile and online payment platform operated by Ant Financial Services Group (“Ant Financial”), today announced that it will collaborate with a wider range of local Japanese partners to build a cashless environment for tourists coming to Japan, in particular for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. This will allow the large […]

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Companies

InComm Japan to Become Alipay Payment Processing Partner

September 28 2018

• in
• Alipay
• China
• Japan

“InComm Japan, a subsidiary of InComm, today announced it will become a payment processing partner for Alipay (支付宝). With this agreement, InComm adds Alipay to the services it offers to merchants. InComm plans to further expand its payment processing portfolio both domestically and overseas”

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Companies

Paidy Announces Strategic Investment from Visa

August 24 2018

• in
• Japan
• Visa

“Today, Paidy Inc. (“Paidy”), an instantly-issued post-pay credit provider, announced an investment from Visa (NYSE:V) as part of the company’s Series C funding. Paidy is Japan’s first instantly-issued post-pay credit service for ecommerce consumers. In addition, the two companies are partnering on new digital payment experiences that will give Japanese consumers more options when buying […]